Aviva Premiership 2013/2014: Predicted final table

We’ve put together what we think the final table will look like for the Aviva Premiership this season. At the bottom end we think it’ll be misery for Sale, after a hard-fought relegation battle with London Irish and Newcastle. Worcester, as tends to be their style, will secure survival relatively early but never kick on to challenge the teams above them.

Wasps will have a repeat of last season, playing some great rugby before falling away and out of contention for a European spot. 4th, 5th, 6th and 7th are fairly interchangeable, but we think Quins have the know-how to ensure a play-off spot once again, while Bath, with their plethora of new, impressive signings will be the biggest threat to the top four. Gloucester will, like Wasps, dazzle with their backs but be let down by their front five, while still just pipping the Chiefs to the final Heineken Cup spot.

Into the top three, it will be the Tigers and Saints who secure home semi-finals with Fotuali’i, Corbisiero and North all shining for the Saints. Sarries will be unlucky to miss out but will be punished for not scoring enough tries. They will get their own back, however, in the knock-out stages, beating the Saints in their back yard as happened to them last year.

The final is anyone’s guess, but we’re backing the Tigers to come up trumps and secure back to back titles.

What do you make of our predictions below? Where do you see things going differently?

Interesting that you have Bath so low, are you not impressed with their signings? I have a feeling we might see the Gary Gold revolution starting to take shape this year, especially if they put their faith in George Ford and he looks like the player from 2 seasons ago, rather than last season.

Not convinced by Bath. Having them that low just sort of game after I went with Quins and Gloucester above them, then letting my Wasps bias have them higher.

I’m not convinced by Bath. I think Claasens will be a huge miss, and I can see Ford/ Heathcote getting rotated and proving inconsistent. Joseph looked poor last season, and no one else (other than Eastmond) look particularly impressive in their back line.

Too often we have heard how good Bath will be, I just can’t see it. I also think Henson is an awful signing and could cause some real unrest.

Yeah, I’ve got to say I don’t see Sale surviving another year. Not only have they been drastically unimpressive in their managerial farce the last few years (Steve Diamond needs to be shot), but they’ve lost a lot of quality this year and the incomings don’t come close to matching the outgoings.

Added to that, I think London Irish were looking betterish towards the end of last season. I know they’ve lost some good players on top, but I don’t expect to see a repeat of last year’s shambles. so they’ll be in the fight at the bottom, but on top of it.

Newcastle on the other hand I think have been shrewd with their signings and no one can right off a team managed by Dean Richards. Smart and solid and that’s what I expect to see from his team this year. I’m not saying they’re going to be in the top four or even the Heineken cup, but I don’t think they’ll be troubled by the tussle at the bottom. I foresee a couple of surprise big scalps for them this season. Quite excited by Newcastle vs. Bath as an opener. Worcester/Newcastle is interesting. Worcester signing Dean Ryan is a great move with his tactical nous, I just wonder whether Worcester’s player signings have been as good as Newcastle’s

Don’t necessarily see Leicester topping the table, but I might just buy my home semi-final tickets now.

Not really context at all as it was being run by someone completely different then. Also, Quins had finished 7th the season previously. It would be akin to Bath winning the league this year – and how many people do you see predicting that?

As an Irish fan not approaching season with great confidence – Corbs, Lahiff & esp. Garvey big losses for us However despite Dean Richards being a better dor than the muppet we have I still think Falcons will be below us at end of season so Exiles to battle with Wuss for 9/10 whilst the northern monkeys battle to avoid the drop.
Given that they’ve got half our team I hope Barff do get into HC at least and be good to see them & Glaws properly compete for the top 4. Difficult to see past Sarries for top spot hopefully the’ll be over confident on Saturday but a LBP looks our best bet.

Bottom first, once Sale sorted out their coach/management debacle they went much better, don’t see them having a great season, but think they will shade Irish who have just lost too many good players.

Top 4, it maybe a season too early with Bath with so many new players. I think they will mount a late charge but I think Quins will be consistent over the season and keep the spot.

I like the look of Saints, but there’s a lot of change so may take a while to hit top gear so don’t think they will get one of those home semi spots. Sarries signings just look to be completing the puzzle, they clocked up quite a few 5 pointers on their new pitch and I think this will continue to be an advantage for them this year. So I fancy them to top the table and shade Tigers in the final.

As for the last HC spot (assuming there is an HC to qualify for) I’m going for the Chiefs. Last year the concern was they didn’t have the capacity to compete in the prem and the HC, they did pretty well and look stronger this year, so think they will shade Gloucester and Wasps.

I think London Irish will be the ones to drop. I think Newcastle will push for at least ninth, if not eighth. Sale will struggle, and it will be between them and the Not Nots as to who can pull together enough points come May.

It’s the mid table that is the toughest to call: Wasps, Exeter, Gloucester and Bath are all great clubs, but are they good enough to challenge the Big Four of the last two seasons?

In terms of the finalists, if Saints don’t win it this year, they never will. My heart says Quins all the way, but my head says Saints.

After Christmas Sale walked all over Gloucester & Bath with wins over Wasps and Exeter too.

Dan Braid joined Sale at Christmas resulting in a total change of outlook and performance. The same man is now the new Sale Sharks captain.

In addition to this, a new stadium, brand new side and management team will result in issues! All of which are now not new!

I feel fans need to look at the bigger picture. Our positioning in the table last season reflected our pre Christmas season, not after Christmas as this would have positioned us at 5th should it have been a new season.

I look forward to being proved wrong! It’ll be between you and Irish for the drop I think – the two Deanos are just better than your respective coaching set-ups, and as I don’t think there’s a great deal of difference in terms of quality across the squads I think that will be enough to keep Worcester and Newcastle safe.

Unless, of course, a certain Mr Cipriani decides to pull his finger out and start fulfilling his potential again, in which case it could be very different.

Sale found their form towards the end of the season so I don’t think they’ll get dropped.
Saracens
Leicester tigers
Northampton
Gloucester
Exeter chiefs
Harlequins
Bath rugby
Newcastle falcons
London wasps
Worcester
Sale
London irish

4, 4 and 4. Top 4 as stated but in an as yet indeterminate order, middle 4 the same and bottom 4 to fight out the drop. Interesting how it looks with essentially three tiers. Do the top 4 just have deeper pockets or do they use their resources better?

In reality Glos will make a mockery of my comments above by winning AP and HC this season…….. although this might be slightly optimistic preseason hope!

Agree with Sale going down. Their pre-season form looks as hapless as last year and now they’ve lost Richie Gray. Cipriani will continue to lead them up/down but I confidently expect him to lose more points than gain them.

I reckon Saints will win the thing. Fotuali, North and Corbs are all brilliant signings. Cockerill will finally fall into the immense black hole that is his own mouth, taking Leics and some of the surrounding villages with him.

I agree with the order of the top 3, but I think Quins will be weaker this season after losing James Johnston to Saracens and with Olly Kohn retiring as well. I suspect Gloucester will be higher than 6th: they may have lost Big Jim but they’ve recruited well – Matt Kvesic, Tavis Knoyle and James Hudson among others – and I see them in the top 4 instead of Quins. Bath won’t be far away either.

Agree with the bottom 4 teams but not the order. Worcester have Paul Wawrick out for the opening 6 weeks: 9th would be a huge achievement for them. I see Worcester dropping instead of Sale.